Just wondering what thevolunteers are left with after theBeta testing? When all the testing is done and the full version is ready will there be any reward for testers? Will testersend up with a full version of Windows 7?

No gurantees on that. If one is lucky there will be a single downloadable version for at least alot of Beta testers. But, MSFT cannot afford all of us (Not an expert on this-just XP and Vista experiences and Office 2007)

The thing that you are left with is the first look at the next version and experience having worked with it. That's something you can't place a dollar value on since you will have a head start in solving any problems throughout the testing along with providing useful feedback for seeing any needed corrections or improvements seen to before the finished product is marketed."Gee? I have this problem with the new Windows" "Sorry I'm still running... and only about to ..." where you will be able to come in with: "after testing for so many months I think I can help you here with...."! You get the first hand look before the rest of the crowd.

Something that I have picked up was I learned alot about features that are in W7 & Vista that I didn't know about. So my Vista skills have improved. I was able to find out if my programs and hardware work with W7, BEFORE I buy it.

Hi Goorambatman The answer is that no information has been released about this subject. If there are any announcements, they will likely be made close to the end of the beta period. Check hereHope this helps. Thank You for testing Windows 7 Beta Ronnie Vernon MVP

Ronnie can you imagine how many people clicked on your check here link in that last post? I Thank You as I still have 2 boys in school and I didn't know about that link.Have a good Day chamblisstom@bellsouth.net

What do the volunteers get after the beta period is over? Experience. Being an IT professional, I will have the knowledge and experience to fully implement, maintain, and support homogeneous and heterogeneous environments the moment Windows 7 is released. Volunteers will have already gotten past the learning curve and will (at least should) understand how and why some of the inner workings are configured in the manner they are. At least that is what I expect to get from being a volunteer.

I guess you will get a better end product with less bugs and more desired features requested and submitted by testers. So the answer is staisfactionI guess.Will users have the option of reverting back to Windows Vista via a clean install? Perhaps simply afull licence for Vista Home Premium or Ultimate for the testers so the can clean install back to Vista so they don't get any problems.

If u are one of "special" guys, who can test and use windows 7 before everyone u should appreciate that. If u looking for something more, then microsoft wasted one of beta. Try help, not get only advantages.

Acroma said:If u are one of "special" guys, who can test and use windows 7 before everyone u should appreciate that. If u looking for something more, then microsoft wasted one of beta. Try help, not get only advantages.How has microsoft wasted a beta? What a dumb thing to say. And what makes a beta tester special? Another dumb thing to say. Most of the comments on this thread are dumb, especially the one with the volunteer link. Poor old microsoft cant help the people who have helped them can they. No. They leave you high and dry with 3rd rate products like vista, which people have paid hundreds of pounds for. I dont think he wanted it for free but a little thank-you goes along way in repairing the damage caused to the people who were screwed in the first place.

Paulie101 said: Acroma said: If u are one of "special" guys, who can test and use windows 7 before everyone u should appreciate that. If u looking for something more, then microsoft wasted one of beta. Try help, not get only advantages. How has microsoft wasted a beta? What a dumb thing to say. And what makes a beta tester special? Another dumb thing to say. Most of the comments on this thread are dumb, especially the one with the volunteer link. Poor old microsoft cant help the people who have helped them can they. No. They leave you high and dry with 3rd rate products like vista, which people have paid hundreds of pounds for. I dont think he wanted it for free but a little thank-you goes along way in repairing the damage caused to the people who were screwed in the first place. hey. if he will not download someone other will, and could use it better. noone want from you to download and test and find bugs. if you like to test new produst so on. someone other told that as beta tester you receive experience. and this is biggest advantage whitch you should look for...

What you are left with is very tangible - the memories of all the fun you had playing with an EXTREMELY well put together pile of software! And a looking forward to the betas for Windows 8, or whatever it's called, and wishing that were sooner than several years from now!!!!!!!To me, that's what it's all about - FUN!!!!!!!!!!!I have enjoyed that kind of fun since I got on the phone back in Win 95 days and talked with the MS techs shooting problems. In XP RC1 and 2, with vastly more folks involved, the newsgroups were a fun place to be while playing with the new releases.I figure we have been well rewarded for our efforts! Kris -------- Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3P, E7200 2.53@3.8ghz, 2x1gb OCZ Reaper1150@1203, EVGA 9800GTX+ N873 , BFG GS-650, Vista Ult 32 SP1 / Win 7 7000

Yeah that's right it's a bit of fun and satisfaction gained. As long as at the end of testing when Win8 is finely tuned and ready for sale users can revert back to a full version OS with no glitches or left over software that may cause problems when reverting back.Testing Beta's is a lot of fun and satisfaction and is very important for MS and the consumers. As long as the testers can be safe and sound at the end of it all. Allwill bewell.

Goorambatman said: safe and sound at the end of it all. I have always assumed that at the end of a "test" I would need to do a full install. I wind up doing a full install anyway every 6 months or so - a clean system is a happy system... So this one's good until Aug 1 or something, so either there will be an RC to do a fresh install with, or RTMs and OEMs will be out, and do a fresh install with that. My personal feeling is that people really inversely bless themselves with a ton of problems when they try to upgrade. btdt! But to each, their own!Kris -------- Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3P, E7200 2.53@3.8ghz, 2x1gb OCZ Reaper1150@1203, EVGA 9800GTX+ N873 , BFG GS-650, Vista Ult 32 SP1 / Win 7 7000

Yeah I know all about the upgrading problems. Never upgrade, always clean install, then you have an OS as it is intended to be. At least for a while...